Apparatus for serving adhesively heatactivated strips and tape



March 22, 1960 R. COLLINS 2,929,907

APPARATUS FOR SERVING ADHESIVELY HEAT-ACTIVATED STRIPS AND TAPE 4 Filed Aug. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 Am in 120692 3 I. MM *W March 22, 1960' R L. COLLINS 2,929,907

APPARATUS FOR SERVING ADHESIVELY HEAT-ACTIVATED STRIPS AND TAPE Filed Aug. 14. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 APPARATUS FOR SERVING ADHESIVELY HEAT- ACTIVATED STRIPS AND TAPE Robert L. Collins, Nashua, NH, assignor, by mesne asslgnments, to Nashua'Corporation, a corporation Delaware Application August 14, 1957, Serial No. 678,195 8 Claims. (Cl. 219-19) activated or heat-sensitizable, as contrasted with pressure sensitive materials such as Scotch tape and with drygummed materials that are rendered adhesive by moistenmg. i

in the drawing illustrating by way of example one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation with parts in vertical section,

a side cover being removed;

I Fig. 2 is a top plan of a forward portion of the ma chine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the delivery portion of the machine with cover parts removed or broken away; Fig. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view corresponding to the upper left portion of Fig. 1, illustrating the cutolf action;

Fig. 5 is a partial transverse section as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showingthe tape roll support; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the feed guide and heater element.

The device or apparatus of the invention in the illustrated example comprises a supporting base 10 under a housing frame including front and rear walls 11, 12, a bottom .Wall 13, a top wall 14 and a fixed side wall 15. These are integrally or otherwise formed of rigid sheet material to define Within them a main compartment 16. The compartment-front wall 11 is spaced below the top wall 14 to provide an exit mouth 17 for the tape T, such ,mouth constituting a portion of the tape delivery and cut-off station.

At one side, herein that at the right as a user faces the front or delivery end of the machine, the main compartment 16 easy opening for access, by a bodily removable side wall or cover 18, Figs. 2 and 3. This comprises a plate of contormant size and shape set onto the base It} and readily removably held in compartment-closing position against the adjacent side edges of the fixed compartment walls by permanent magnetic latches 19, 19. Two of these are shown mounted centrally on the, housing bottom and top walls 13 and 14, Fig. 1. At least those areas of this side coverplate 18. opposite the latches 19,

present magnetically attractive metal.

in the lower forward portion the compartment 16 is adapted to support rotatively a supply roll R of the heat sensitizable tape T, shown wound with the heat-activatable face a of the tape inmost and the base or non-actinited States Patent 2.92am? Fatented .Melr. 22, 1960,

'ice

vatable face b at the outside. The tape roll R is arranged for draft upon it by a user grasping the leading end of the tape T at the delivery and cut-oh station adjacent the exit mouth 17 where it presented conveniently for seizure as between the thumb and forefinger, as indicated in Fig. l.

The roll supporting means desirably provides adjustfrictional braking tension upon the roll R for avoidance of back lash. Such means, noting Fig. 5, herein comprises a non-round spindle 20 shown as a hexagonal member onto which the core of the tape roll R is easily slipped into alignment with the center line of the guide and heater element to be described. The peripheral corners of the hexagonal spindle 20 hold the roll R sufficiently for transmission of tension to the tape. The spindle 20 is rotatably disposed on a stud 21 fixed on the compartment side wall 15 as by an anchor screw 21a. A

of the housing frame is closed in use, subject to of travel for the concentric friction washer 22 of leather, cork or other friction-surface material is interposed between the fixed frame wall 15' and the. adjacent end of the stud 21 and held fast by it against said wall. At the other end the stud 21 carries a thrust-bearing washer 23 held against rotation by a key lug 24 thereon received in a keyway on the stud. Outwardly of the bearing washer 23 are one or morehighly resilient washer-like members 25, 25. preferably of a sponge-like rubberous material suchas foam rubber followed by another rigid retainer washer 26, these latter centrally apertured for passage of an adjusting cap screw 27 tapped into the end of the stud 21 and having a knurled head 23 for manipulation.

By relatively. adjusting the cap screw 27, 28 greater or less pressure is exerted against the friction washer 22 at the other end of the spindle 29. :The described resilient mass 25, 25 between the two metal members 23 and 26 maintains an even tension at all times and in coopera tion with the parts mentioned has been found more effectire than such expedients as coil springs, a minimal rotative adjustment of the cap screw 27, 28 affording the do: sired range in tension. By reason of the key lug 24 and keyway therefor on the stud 21 the inner rigid bearing member 23 is prevented from transmitting torque to the adjusting screw under the turning action of the tape roll R.

Certain heat-sensitizable tapes, particularly those of the Perry patent mentioned, can be activated under relatively high heat in a shorttirne interval approaching the instantaneous. But under such relatively high heat conditions it isfound that the tape if allowed to remain subject to the heater will suffer a loss of the adhesive into the paper or other base material of the tape. Hence, while it is important that the heat-sensitizable coating or face a of the tape T be completely activated for good adhesive performance, it is also important that excessive temperatures be avoided. A further consideration is that the general more adhesivestrength at moderate temperatures in the range of 220 to 240 F. than at substantially higher temperatures. At the same time his desirable that the heat-activated face of the tape have minimum contact with any part of the apparatus.

With these considerations in view the invention provides a housing compartment 16 and associated means so relatively proportioned, constructed and arranged with respect to the tape roll R as to provide within a reasonably restricted space a predeterminedly extended path tape T en route to the delivery station. Such an extended service path permits the use of a correspondingly elongate heater means. This in turn enables a relatively prolonged heating period commensurate with the extended travel path for the tape, and also makes available a lower activating temperature range V such as that of 220 to 240 F. mentioned, by reason of the prolonged heat-receiving advance of the tape along the heater. Under such temperatures the tape, being guided and supported at its base or non-adhesive face b, can remain on or subject to the heater for substantial periods of time and still be instantly usable. It will be understood that if a machine is to be out of use for periods upwards of an hour or more the recommended procedure is to switch it off.

Accordingly, the apparatus of the invention provides in the relatively compact compartment 16 for conduct of the tape T rearwardly from the top of the roll .R (wound with activatable face in) and downward into guided relation with a combined guide andheater element designated as a whole at 30. Along the latter the tape is conducted in a somewhat circuitous and elongate path first rearwardly, then upwardly and thence forwardly over substantially the entire length of the compartment 16 to the delivery station at the mouth 17.

In the illustrated example the guide and heater element 30 is of an elongate general J-form with the long leg leading to the delivery station at the mouth 17. It is a flat tubular or channel-like structure with one smooth elongate outer face, the convex face at the turnof the J, providing a receiving, supporting and guiding surface for the base or non-activatable face b of the tape T. It may be integrally or otherwise constructed as a remov able unit. In the illustrated example, noting Figs. 3 and 6, it comprises outer and inner elongate strips or plates 31, 32 fashioned to fiat tubular form. The outer plate 31 for direct contact with the base face b of the tape is of a good heat conductive material such as aluminum. Within this elongate channel guide structure 31, 32 are installed one or more electrical resistance heater elements such as indicated at 33, Fig. 6, these being embedded in suitable electricallv-insulating heattransmitting material. Such electrical heater means extends throughout a major portion of the guide-heater unit 30, preferably substantially from end to end thereof. This unit as a whole is demountablypositioned in the compartment 16 as by brackets 34 secured to the housing wall 15. Ventilation for the compartment is provided as at apertures 16a on the walls thereof.

7 Electrical energy for the heater is su plied through a plural-conductor appliance cord 35 with plug-in provision. The cord is admitted to the compartment 16 through the rear wall 12 at which is also installed an on-off master switch 36. Leads from the cord extend to the rear and the front ends of the heater element as indicated at 37, 38, the latter throu h an adjustable thermostatic switch designated generally at 40, Fig. 1, having a temperature setting knob 41. Such temperature control 40 is-conveniently hung on the under wall 32 of the guide-heater 30 for removal as a self-contained unit with it. It is desirably located near the front end of the heater so as to respond to heater temperature adjacent the delivery station 17.

The guide-heater 30 and the electrical heater element 33 thereof are thermally constructed and arranged to supply to the tape, when plugged into the usual 110- 115 volt A.C. circuit or other power supply, the maximum operating temperature desired for the apparatus. A heater element with 100 watt rating has been found satisfactory. The thermostatic regulator 40 is of a type suited for the particular circuit and adapted to control the heater for maintaining temperature within a relatively moderate and adjustable operating range such as the mentioned 220 to 240 F., as by breaking and remaking the heater circuit from time to time as appropriate to the selected operating temperature range. The thermo static device 40 is readily adjustable as appropriate to variable temperature conditions at places of use, and to the character of tape or of surface to which it is to be adhesively sealed.

Provision desirably made for holding down the tape into heat-activating relation with the guide-heater 30, especially adjacent the deliyery station 17. In the illustrated example this is accomplished through means imposing a minimum of drag against draft of the tape while insuring against undue retraction or back lash of the tape and keeping its heat-subjectively against or adjacent the heater-guide 30.

As shown such means comprises a floating hold-down unit designated generally at 50, noting particularly Figs. 1 and 3. :It comprises a transverse series of parallel forwardly and downwardly inclined needlelike members or fine-pointed pins 51, resembling phonograph needles. They are sufiicient in number and overall extent across the path of the tape to accommodate tapes of the maximum width to be handled. The pins 51 are held at the non-pointed ends in a cross-bar 52 fixed as by screws 53 on the legs of a yoke 55 secured as by a screw 55 at the front end of a longitudinal arm 57. Such arm 57 in turn is pivotally hung at its rear end as at 58 on a bracket 59 extending from the housing side-wall 15.

Thus the hold-down unit 50 as a whole is adapted to float or rest by gravity upon the upper and adhesively activatable face a of the tape T. It has a weight selected as appropriate to accomplish the desired holddown and guiding action yet making contact with the adhesive tape face only at the inclined points of those pins '51 within the width of the given tape. The inclination of the pins forwardly and down toward the tape is at an acute angle to the plane of the tape path. This angle may be adjusted by loosening the screws 53, turning the bar 52 about its axis and resetting it to afford the desired pin angle. In operation of the machine there is a minimum of contact of any part with the activated adhesive during service of the taper Further, by reason of the configuration and angular position of the restricted-contact pointed members 51, the floating hold-down unit 50 is substantially self-cleaning.

The heat-activatable tape dispenser of the invention further comprises means for severing the advanced chine are mutually interdependent structurally and functionally, each coaet ing with the others in novelly effecting the serving of any desired length of the tape heatactivated to adhesiveness, with convenience and safety to the user and with successive lengths available for feed. conditioning, cut-off and delivery at any desired time.

For convenience in servicing and simplicity in manufacture and assembly the guarded cut-off element'and the lead-end presenting means, which latter functions also as a lock and release for the cutter guard and delivery platform, are constructed and arranged as a unitary sub-assembly at the front of the machine. Noting Figs. 1, 3 and 4, such sub-unit comprises a case or bone ing element defining a relatively small compartment 60 of major vertical extent at the front wall 11 of the tape storing and conditioning compartment 15 and in longitudinal line with the tape path, with its upper portion adjacently below the tape mouth or delivery station 17. Said front compartment 60 includes an upright rear wall 61 between opposite side walls 62, 63. the latter shown as of decreasing width toward the main base 10 of the machine on which they are supported. The rear wall 61 is removably secured flatwise against the front wall 11 of the main compartment as by bolts, one of which is indicated at 64, Fig. 1. The auxiliary compartment 60 thus defined desirably is closed by a removable front cover 65 also of U-shape in horizontal section, conformant to and'receivable against the compartmentside wall 62, 63 and 'removably held as by screws. g

Because the strips and tapes to be'handled may vary widely as to toughness and resistance to severance, from relatively light-weight paper-base sheets to strong reinforced tapes including fabric and other bases with fibres and strand ,reinforcement, it is desirable that the cutoff means be adapted for severing coaction with any of such tapes. It is found that a pointed or spear-like blade oifers maximum efliciency and versatility in this regard.

Accordingly in the-illustrated example there is provided an upwardly directed triangular blade 70 with sharp piercing point 71 and down-flaring sharpened cutting edges 72, 72. It is fixedly mounted on and between the side walls 62, 63 of the front compartment 60. To minimize accumulation of adhesive on the cutter blade it is found desirable to provide a heated status for the blade during operating periods. For this purpose there is mounted directly on and along th'e base of the blade 70 a'small electrical resistance heater element 75 connected with leads 76 from the power supply cord 35, preferably releasably as by pinch-clip connectors 77 facilitating disconnection for demounting the cutter compartment 60. The knife 70 and its heater 75 are mounted as by embedding in a block 73 of heat and electrical insulating material such as that known commercially as Maroui'te supplied by Johns-Manville Co. The .insulating block 78 in turn is held in a troughed bracket 79 having lateral portions secured as by. screw bolts 79a on the side walls 62, 63. Upon manipulation of the bolts the generally vertical plane of the blade may be angularly adjusted relative to the service path of the tape. The knife heater 75 is selected as appropriate to maintain an even temperature on the blade 70, desirably at a level of approximately 300 F., without the necessity for thermostatic control.

By reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, it is evident that severance of a delivered length of tape is effected by defiecting the tape, herein downwardly, into cutting engagement with the blade 70, see particularly Fig. 4. In as sociation with the cutter or blade 70 there desirably is provided means for guarding against careless contact by a users hand. This is herein accomplished by a combined displaceable guard and delivery platform indicated generally at 80, constructed and arranged normally to shield the knife '76 and to be locked in the guarding position against unintentional exposure of the knife, yet to be released and automatically moved to blade-exposing position by direct coaction of the tape itself therewith in accomplishing thefinal draft and severance of a desired length'of the adhesively conditioned tape.

Such tape-guiding guard 80 is illustrated as a generally rectangular top plate or platform 81 with downturned front lip 82.v Behind the latter is a transverse slot 83 permitting the masking platform 81 along with the tape T thereon to be depressed and brought into tape-severing coaction with the blade 70 under the relative vertical movement of the tape and the blade as the latter is operatively exposed through the slot 83; see Fig. 4. This tape-guiding guard element 80 has the general form of a bell crank, with a depending rear leg 85 disposed at an angle of something less than 90 to the platform member 81 and rigidly connected with the latter as by side pieces 86 turned down from the latter. It is mounted for pivotal swinging movement about a hori-' zontal axis provided by a pin 87 'removably supported in opposed apertures in the knife compartment side walls 62, 63 where it isheld against unintentional axi'al'withdrawal by the installed-cover 65. Normally this guard Sit is held in the up-or shielding position of Fig. 1 as by a spring 88 connected at one end to a lower portion of the central leg 85 and at the other or forward end presses the platform-guard and brings the tape into cutto a fixed part such as the knife bracket 79. lnturned lugs 89 atthe top edges of the side walls 62, 63 serve as limit stops determining the normal up and substantially horizontal position of the combined guide platform and knife-shielding element 80.

To avoid unintentional depression of said element a positive latch or lock is provided as seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. For this purpose one or more latch members 90 are pivoted as at 91 on the knife compartment rear wall 61 or a bracket thereon having lock shoulders 93 adapted in an upper position of the latches to stand behind the lower edge portion of the platform leg 35 positively looking it forward and the platform up in the up or shielding position of Figs. 1 and 3.

For automatically unlocking the knife-masking platform element 80 by deflection or pull down on the tape T, means controllable by the tape itself is provided. Such means as shown is depressible by and with the tape to release the latches 90 and on opposite return after the tape is cut has the dual function of elevating the lead end of the remaining tape length at the delivery station and presenting it for convenient grasping. For this purpose there is horizontally pivoted at and between the front ends of the latches 90 as at 94 a finger 95 brazed or otherwise fixedly connected to a release or trip extending upward through a transverse opening 101 at the rear portion of the platform 81. This trip and lifter member 100 extends transversely below thetape path and has an overturned or rounded upper end for engagement with the non-adhesive underface b of the tape T. It is of a length to extend up through the platform 81 into the desired tape-elevating position, as represented in Fig. .l, which positron it normally occupies between tape-serving operations, being yieldably elevated as by a spring 193. The latter is anchored at its upper end to a fixed part such as the platform pivot pin 87 described, and at its lower end is attached to the trip 100 as at the finger 95 thereof, whereby the latches 90 are normally held in locking position with the latch shoulders 93 blocking rearward movement of the platform leg 85.

A user desiring to obtain a length of adhesively conditioned tape grasps the conveniently presented lead end at the access area above the guarding platform element 80 and in front of the delivery mouth 17. This is most conveniently done by placing the index finger 0n the top face of the tape and the thumb on the underside, with the result that the drafted and cut-off tape length is held by the operator in readiness for applying adhesively to any desired surface with a minimum of turning or awkward movement of the hand or wrist. Having drawn off the desired length of tape, in a forward direction generally parallel with itself and in substantial prolongation of the tape path along the guide and heater 30, the user merely pulls down on the tape so that it first exerts down pressure on the trip 1% to depress the latches 90, releasing the platform-guard element 80 for downward and rearward swinging. Further down swinging of the tape deting relation with the pointed fixed cutter blade 70 as the platform'moves below it. On completion of tape severance the lead end of the remaining tape is left free, automatically releasing the trip 100 for spring return to the tape-elevating and latch-locking position of Fig. 1, the platform-guard element 80 simultaneously being returned by its spring 88 to its normal locked Fig. 1 position.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof illustrated and described herein, and I set forth its scope in my following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for store counter and like use for dispensing adhesively conditioned lengths of tape having a heat-activatable face and an opposite non-tacky face, comprising a compact generally rectangular housing with enclosing longitudinal side, "top, bottom and end walls and having a tape delivery station at the fore end, means for rotatively mounting a supplyroll of the tape in a fore portion of the housing, conjoint guide and heater means for the tape including an elongate stationary fiat-faced fore-and-aft sheet-metal track having a rear portion leading into a generally straight front portion, said conjoint guide and heater means disposed for conducting tape from the roll first rearwardly substantially to the rear end wall of the housing and then reversely forwardly along said track and over the roll position to the delivery station over a total path exceeding the length of the housing, said track of said guide and heater means presenting a substantially continuous wall for guidant cooperation directly with the non-tacky tape face and having along a maior length thereof electrical heating means adapted to activate the heat-activatable face of the tape by heat directed primarily to said non-tacky face thereof against said track of the guide and heater means, the length, construction and arrangement of said guidant wall in and relative to the housing being such that the tape is accorded a travel path from su ply to delivery of spacial and temporal extent so calculated with reference to moderate heating temperature therealong that tape drafted at the delivery station is usefully adhesively heat-activated while en route from the supplyroll in the housing to the delivery station, control means in thehousing for regulating the heating temperature, and adjustable frictional braking means in the housing cooperating with the rotatably mounted tapesupply roll to afford even tension to the tape as drafted and restricting tape backlash.

2. A dispenser part cularly for heat-activatable tape, comprising a frame defining a main tape-roll containing compartment, a rotative support for a tape roll in said compartment, an elongate guide to conduct tape from the roll to a forward tape delivery mouth, 'and tape-activating heater means along the guide. said compartment having enclosant walls including a front wall whereby tape-activating heat is largely confined to the compartment, a relatively smaller compartment on the frame forwardly of the main compartment and separably associated therewith, a tape severing element mounted in the smaller forward compartment together with electrical heater means for the severing element and separable electrical connections therefor so that the forward compartment is bodily dem'ountable independently of the main cornpartment.

3. In a tape dispenser, a frame adapted to mount a tape supply roll, and roll mounting and controlling means on the frame comprising a non-round tubular spindle radially proportioned for reception in and frictional tension-transmitting engagement withthe surrounding wall of the central aperture of a tape supply roll, a stud an chored on the frame for rotatably bearing the spindle, frictional resistance means between the frame and one end of the spindle for restraining rotation thereof compressively adjustable resilient washer-like means centrally mounted on the stud at the other spindle end for urging it toward said frictional resistant means, said Washer-like means being of a dimension no' greater than the spindle for assembly of a tape roll ontojit, a retainer for said resilient means, rotary adjusting means outwardly of the retainer for setting the pressure of the resilient means, and a lock for preventing application of torque to the adjusting means under turning of a supported tape roll.

4. A dispenser for tape, comprising a frame, a support thereon for a roll of tape to be dispensed, an

elongate tape guide for conductin'gtape from the roll to a delivery point, including a substantially horizontal portion adjacent said point, and a floating low-friction holddown unit for the tape passing along said guide portion, said unit comprising atransverse series of parallel forwardly and downwardly inclined pointed pins individually spaced laterally of the tape path, a cross-bar holding the pins distally from the points thereof, a longitudinal arm rearwardly extending centrally from the cross-bar, and horizontal pivot means on the frame for the rear end of saidarm affording said hold-down unit capacity to float on the tape passing below the pins there- 5. Tape dispensing apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, means thereon for rotatably mounting a tape roll, an elongate stationary guide defining a path for the tape from the roll to a delivery station, a vertically movable plate at the delivery station in forward extension of the guide and normally in general line therewith further to define the tape path, and an upright top-pointed tooth-form severing blade on the frame adjacently below the movable plate and adapted to sever tape upon bodily deflection of the tape downwardly past it, said plate constituting a blade-masking element normally overlying the blade and having a blade-passing slotted formation enabling the plate to move downwardly under depressing deflection of the tape past the blade.

6. Tape dispensing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the blade has distal to the pointed top a mounting base supported on the frame, the blade base being electrically and thermally insulated and being thermally subject to electrical resistance heater means to maintain the active portion of the blade at above-ambient temperature.

7. Dispensing apparatus for tape, comprising a frame, means thereon for rotatably mounting a tape roll, an elongate guide defining a path for the tape from the roll to a delivery station, a substantially upright severing blade for the tape adjacently below the tape path beyond the delivery station, said blade adapted to sever tape deflected downwardly into contact with it, a blade-masking and tape-guiding element normally. overlying the blade at thedelivery station end of the elongate guide and movable by downward deflection of the tape to expose the blade for tape-severing contact, positive locking means normally to hold saidmasking element in blade-masking position, and a movable trip controllable by the operator to release said locking means.

8. Dispensing apparatus for tape according to claim 7,

the movable trip being releasable by contact of the tape with it in an initial portion of the down deflection of the tape, said. trip comprising a vertically movable lifter member having a normal elevated position and formed for thrusting engagement at the upper end with the underface of the lead end of the remnant tape, and means automatically to elevate said lifter member following tape severance thereby to lift and position said lead tape end for convenient seizure by the operator for subsequent tape feed.

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